Tradition and Trends in ED
Entrepreneurship has been the most attractive topic and the training module among many of the development interventions and projects in Sri Lanka and in South-Eastern parts of Asia at large. In Sri Lanka nearly 300 training organizations deliver different types of entrepreneurship development (ED) trainings through more than 4600 trainers with different backgrounds. Although the knowledgebase of entrepreneurship and business realities are changing rapidly, the ED practitioners in Sri Lanka are notoriously addicted to outdated and invalid traditional contents and delivery methods. Some famous training packages such as CEFE and SIYB training packages are still being delivered either with little or no modification since 1990s. As a consequence of all these there are several interesting questions often asked by many donor agencies; “To what extant these ED modules have created a change in the lives of poor people? What percentage of MSMEs has been better off? How can the general ED help effectively to sector specific businesses with special growth needs? How far these trainers and organizations have been able to contribute to MDGs”
My question, in addition is that, why the trainers are more and more curious about the training assignment rather than the productivity and the final results? So, it is time to look at ourselves and find new ways to create better results and breakthroughs in the MSME sectors in Sri Lanka. I propose following aspects as value additions to traditional ED modules.
Beyond Entrepreneurship Development…..
We replace the traditional ED with innovative content and delivery approaches and improved methodologies of training delivery.
Pre-delivery value additions
With our experience we have make following modifications to the common and cheap ED modules delivered by most trainers.
Simple baseline assessment and training need assessment (TNA) of the target group.
Content and Methodological modifications based on the TNA of the target group.
Sector specific alterations of the module based on special needs of homogeneous sub-groups within the target group.
Trainers pre-study in to five forces of each sub business sector.
Interactive training delivery based on advanced adult learning techniques.
Value chain focus.
Effective use of advanced training aids.
Attention on gender and poverty aspects.
During the delivery
Individual focus and touch.
Support to market access-new markets, new products, expanded volumes.
Integration of Green entrepreneurship components.
Product innovation-eco products and services (as a follow-up).
Facilitation of technology transfer (as a follow-up)
Special attention to make enabling environment against business related Red Tapes (as a follow-up).
Reduction of dependency and attitude change.
Attention on gender, equity and poverty aspects.
Real life entrepreneurial case learning and exposure visits.
After training support
Follow-up advices and business clinics (when there is sequential groups).
Linkages to raw material markets and suppliers.
Linkages to business support services and business associations and nucleus hubs.
Linkages to machinery and technology providers.
Access to quality and standards specifications.
Facilitation of access to capital, business partnerships, external investment (as a follow-up).Submission of short report on training outcomes (first three months).
